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72 Cultural Competence in Health Education and Health Promotion

Health educators need to conduct further studies to expand the understanding
of these conceptual definitions and their applications to health education. It is impor-

tant that health educators create a body of knowledge unique to the domains and needs
of the health education practice. Some recommendations for health educators in this
regard are (1) conducting research on holistic health and integrative healing; (2) expand-
ing the competencies and responsibilities of health educators to address newly emerging

fields such as CAM, integrative healing, and holistic health; and (3) designing culturally
appropriate strategies to educate individuals and communities on these new forms
of healing.

MODALITIES OF CAM
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine divides CAM ther-

apies into five major categories, as shown in Exhibit 4.2 . These categories are based
on mechanisms of action and modalities of treatment.
Barnes et al. (2004) used the defi nitions of CAM modalities presented in Exhibit
4.3 for the 2002 National Health Interview Survey on complementary and alternative
medicine use among adults in the United States. Exhibit 4.4 displays a selection of

recent NCCAM definitions of additional CAM modalities.

Exhibits 4.2 , 4.3 , and 4.4 provide important theoretical definitions for health edu-
cators that will enhance their ability to deliver health education about CAM effec-
tively. The responsibilities and competencies delineated by the National Commission
for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) (2002) are directly linked to health edu-
cators ’ knowledge of concepts and theories. Responsibilities such as acting as a
resource person in health education and communicating health and health education
needs, concerns, and resources related to CAM require the health educator to have a
solid understanding of these operational and theoretical defi nitions.
The Competencies Update Project (CUP), undertaken between 1998 and 2004 by
the American Association for Health Education (AAHE), the National Commission
for Health Education Credentialing, and the Society for Public Health Education
(SOPHE), delineated the role of the health educator as a three - tiered hierarchical
model. This new framework defined the responsibilities and competencies of health

educators based on their level of practice (NCHEC, 2007).

Entry - level health educators, defined as those with a bachelor ’ s or master ’ s degree

and fewer than five years of experience, need to expand their body of knowledge on
the types and modalities of CAM. Advanced 1 level health educators, those with a

bachelor ’ s or master ’ s degree and five years or more of experience, ought to engage in
the design, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs related to CAM.
Advanced 2 level health educators, defined as those with a doctoral degree and fi ve or

more years of experience, ought to engage in research projects and scientifi c discovery
related to CAM (NCHEC, 2007).

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